The Anatomy of a Personal Injury Case: From Surveillance to Science

This series of the Flager Law Personal Injury Hour and The McMenamin & Wing Show explores the critical intersection of legal strategy, firm culture, and medical technology in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases. A primary focus of the discussion is the impact of the digital age on litigation, specifically regarding how insurance companies use social media and constant surveillance to challenge the credibility of injured claimants. Attorneys Adam Flager and Tom Wing emphasize that a plaintiff’s credibility is their most valuable asset, advising clients to avoid hyperbole and maintain strict social media privacy to prevent defense lawyers from painting a misleading picture of their physical capabilities.

The podcasts also introduce groundbreaking advancements in treating and proving “invisible” injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Through a partnership with Brain Health Centers of America, Flager highlights the use of NeuroSync technology—an FDA-cleared, AI-powered eye-tracking platform that provides objective, quantified data of brain dysfunction. This technology captures 60,000 data points in a six-minute exam to produce visual evidence that a jury can easily understand, effectively moving beyond the limitations of standard MRIs which often return “normal” results despite significant patient suffering.

Finally, the shows detail the essential role of specialized medical networks and firm collaboration in securing successful outcomes. Larry Schreiber of Bridge Med Legal explains how a managed network of over 300 providers ensures that clients have access to convenient, local treatment, which is vital because “holes” in treatment history often lead to low settlement offers from insurance companies. By working collaboratively with medical liaisons and other specialized firms, Flager Law aims to provide a holistic approach that prioritizes both the physical recovery and the legal dignity of the victim.

TRANSCRIPT

Host: Joe Dougherty

Guest Host: Adam Flager (Flager Law)

Guest: Larry Schreiber (Bridge Med Legal)

Joe Dougherty: All right, welcome to the Flager Law Personal Injury Hour here on WWDB. We’ve got an awesome show. Adam Flager is our host. How are you, Adam?

Adam Flager: Good, Joe. Good to see you.

Joe Dougherty: That’s great to be seen, and it’s good to see you as well. We have a real treat for everybody today: Larry Schreiber. Hey, Larry, how you doing?

Larry Schreiber: Hey, how is everyone today?

Joe Dougherty: Everybody’s good. We’re pre-recording this show on Monday. The Eagles are playing tonight. Larry would normally be hosting the biggest tailgate in the city of Philadelphia down at the Linc in the parking lot there. It’s going to be nice to be inside tonight.

Larry Schreiber: I have to tell you something. I so enjoy away games as I’ve gotten older. I also love night games. When we were growing up, if you ever got a Monday night game, it was like a national celebration. Tailgating was an all-day thing. But now, the 4:25 PM games are my favorite, because getting there at three in the morning is just brutal.

Joe Dougherty: Adam, I heard last week’s tailgate was one of the biggest ever. Larry, I agree with you on the four o’clock games. Adam, what’s going on in your world?

Adam Flager: This time of year is always busy because insurance companies like to clear cases off their plate before the start of the next year. They finally want to talk settlement. Our clients like to get those checks before the holidays. We’re in a full-court press to get as much resolved as possible, but we’re making sure it’s for the right number—not just taking a crappy offer because it’s the end of the year.

Joe Dougherty: Absolutely. It’s the holiday season. Larry, what are your thoughts on the game?

Larry Schreiber: First, I want to address Kevin Patullo’s house being vandalized. We are all degenerate Eagles fans, but a few fans crossed the line. Making it personal is beyond reproach. I apologize from the bottom of my heart for what him and his family are going through.

Joe Dougherty: You hate to see that. I don’t glow or want to see anyone get injured. I’m looking at these quarterbacks like Jackson Dart—he’s all man, but you can’t run like that in the NFL and put your head down. It reminds me of RGIII.

Adam Flager: They have to learn to be pocket passers. None of these guys can last doing that.

Larry Schreiber: Jayden Daniels is the same thing. I don’t understand the stupidity of coaches allowing those runs. The one where Jackson Dart got depleted running down the sideline was foolish; he could have gotten out a yard earlier.

Joe Dougherty: In the NFL, you can’t bet the house because of injuries. Adam, remind our listeners about yourself and the practice.

Adam Flager: Adam Flager, Flager Law. We are a personal injury firm licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We handle motor vehicle cases, premises liability—like slipping on ice or spilled milk—dangerous products, and dog bites. My father, Randy, founded the firm in 1990. we treat our clients like family.

Joe Dougherty: Larry, tell us about Bridge Med Legal.

Larry Schreiber: I’ve been in the med-legal space for 32 years. About two years ago, I merged my relationships under the umbrella of Bridge Med Legal. We take clients of attorneys and match them with chiropractors, rehab specialists, or orthopedists. We have a group of 363 doctors in 20 states. We cast a very large net to give optionality to both doctors and clients.

Joe Dougherty: Adam, when someone walks into your office after being neglected by the medical system for months, how do you handle that? Regular medical professionals often don’t want to handle these cases.

Adam Flager: Getting treatment is a critical part of getting better and your case. I tell clients, whether you have a case or not: get treatment. Your body is your body; you only get one. We want good providers we can trust. If you blow the doctor off, you don’t get better, and you don’t get a bigger check. Life happens—kids, jobs—but investing that time in the beginning pays off in spades.

Joe Dougherty: Larry, what inspired the network? My own doctor wouldn’t even treat me for a personal injury.

Larry Schreiber: It was inspired by having a huge network of attorneys and doctors. I realized I was getting calls regularly asking for chiropractors in Allentown or pain management in Reading. I formed a business around that asset. It’s a free service for attorneys. I also step in as a liaison if a doctor is slow with a report or a bill that Adam needs to start a demand.

Joe Dougherty: Adam, how has technology like Zoom changed the “changing of the guard” in law?

Adam Flager: It’s generational. A 20-year-old won’t answer the phone, but they’ll text. Our depositions are now almost exclusively on Zoom. It’s a rarity to do an in-person deposition nowadays. We have to evolve or die. However, if a client isn’t comfortable with the tech, they can come to my office and I’ll set them up.

Joe Dougherty: Larry, has tech impacted your side of the business?

Larry Schreiber: For Bridge Med Legal, it has allowed instant contact. Texting is an efficient way to communicate, though you can lose the tone of sarcasm. Being a liaison is easier when I can touch the gatekeeper, the paralegal, or the doctor quickly.

Adam Flager: Zoom removes the barrier to entry for treatment. I’ve seen physical therapists run kinetic exercises over video. It’s huge for people who aren’t mobile because of their injuries.

Joe Dougherty: Larry, talk about the priority of convenience in your network.

Larry Schreiber: We try to do everything geographically. Most clients go to therapy two to three times a week; you don’t want them schlepping an extra 20 minutes. If they don’t go because it’s too far, the insurance company assumes they aren’t hurt, and that blows up the case.

Adam Flager: I don’t want my clients traveling more than 15 minutes for physical therapy. If it’s a 30-minute drive, that’s two hours of their day several times a week. They won’t go. Someone like Larry fills those “dead zones” in our spreadsheets where we don’t have a provider.

Joe Dougherty: Larry, explain the liaison service when an attorney can’t get a report.

Larry Schreiber: An hour ago, a secretary texted me because a firm wasn’t responding about insurance info. The patient had been treating for 10 weeks without insurance. I sent it to the attorney, and it was handled in five minutes. I’ve also had doctors tell me a client is going to fire their attorney because they haven’t heard from them. I step in and smooth it over.

Adam Flager: Getting records is tedious. A service like Larry’s lets my staff focus on fighting for the client.

Larry Schreiber: I get calls daily about missed appointments. If a patient misses two in a row, it’s a trend. Insurance companies are black and white: hurt equals treatment, not hurt equals no treatment. If there is a hole in treatment for six weeks, you’re going to get a lowball offer.

Joe Dougherty: It’s about educating the client. This is the difference between dignity and no dignity for the rest of their lives.

Adam Flager: We tell them: be an advocate for yourself. Tell the doctor everything that is ailing you, not just the one thing that hurts the most.

Joe Dougherty: Larry, contact info?

Larry Schreiber: 609-332-0428 or www.bridgemedlegal.com.

Joe Dougherty: Adam?

Adam Flager: Flager Law, 215-953-5200 or flagerlaw.com.

Joe Dougherty: I’m Joe Dougherty, thanks for listening.